Eastern Sea.
Night surged dark and restless, yet Green Pine Island shone brightly. The immortal peak that housed the Azure Pond Sect was sparse with vegetation. Iron pillars rose one after another, their bases marked with scattered dark-red bloodstains from some unknown demonic creature. The blood slowly turned into wisps of smoke.
A middle-aged man emerged from the forest of iron pillars, the treasures on his body clinking with every step. His expression was dark and sinister. The moment the cultivators saw him come out of the grove, they hurried to flatter him with greetings.
"Greetings, Lord Fei!"
This was none other than Fei Luoya, who was once a disciple of Mount Wu. He had visited the Li Family several times in the past to seek a way out of his predicament. Later, he was seized by Li Xuanfeng and sent to serve the Ning Family. Decades had passed since then.
Fei Luoya’s slightly bloodshot eyes swept sideways without replying. Several guest cultivators hurried forward, eager to attend to him and curry favor.
Fei Luoya was ruthless and calculating. Over the years, he had clawed his way upward by any means necessary. Born of Mount Wu, he was versed in shamanic spell arts, many of which contained sinister Lesser Yin methods. These methods were very effective in the southern border, which allowed him to rise step by step.
A few years ago, he had finally caught the eye of the Ning Family’s direct descendants and was heavily relied upon by Ning Hejing, which had allowed him to reach his current position. No matter how much the Azure Pond Sect guest cultivators secretly looked down on him, they still had to address him respectfully as 'lord.'
Fei Luoya removed a jade pearl from his waist and swept it around him, sealing the area to prevent eavesdropping before speaking in a low voice, "Have you guys used dharma artifacts to survey the Abyss? Is there any movement within?"
"No, my lord." One man stepped forward, presenting a palm-sized azure mirror with both hands, and spoke softly, "Li Xizhi has not emerged for many years. I fear his life may be in danger."
"Even the Glimmering Inquiry Mirror cannot detect him," muttered Fei Luoya.
He put away the ancient dharma artifact that resembled a mirror. Back in the day, he had been penniless and was merely a small Mount Yue tribesman. But now he was using ancient dharma artifacts, and the many treasures on his body clinked with every step.
Still a Mount Yue at heart, no matter where he goes, he can never shake the filthy habit of hanging every manner of trinket on himself... The guest cultivator kept a smile on his face while cursing inwardly. Fei Luoya glanced at him without comment, then flicked his sleeve to dismiss them all before turning back toward the grove.
Ning Hejing, clad in red soft armor, sat upright in complete darkness. Across from him, a plump monk sat with hands pressed together, eyes narrowed in a smile, while a small letter lay on the stone table between them.
Ning Hejing remained seated, a grim expression on his face. When Fei Luoya approached, he unfolded the letter once more and read it.
"This is a letter from within the sect." The letter seemed to have been folded dozens of times, the creases deepening with wear. Ning Hejing said slowly, "Chi Fubo’s people have already left the sect..."
The two baleful qis and one light within the Abyss had gradually calmed. Li Xizhi was not yet dead, and it was only a matter of time before he emerged from the earth vein.
After a brief moment of thought, Ning Hejing asked, "Master Monk Liaokong, what does Chi Zhihu say on his side?"
Liaokong smiled at him with a blessed countenance and a genial air and spoke softly, "Chi Zhihu intends to strike at Li Xizhi in the Reef Sea[1]. The grand formation is already prepared. The moment he passes through, it will be activated to kill him."
"Good..." Ning Hejing’s tone was calm as he said quietly, "With you backing him, Chi Zhihu will have no trouble killing this man. No matter how much Si Yuanli pretends to be dead, he will have to react!"
Ning Hejing clearly regarded the two as his confidants, speaking without reservation in a steady voice, "It is thanks to the Master Monk’s intervention that this matter could be settled."
The reason Ning Hejing now made heavy use of Fei Luoya was merely because the man had some ability and had lost territory to the Li Family, making him relatively trustworthy. However, the one he truly valued was the Master Monk Liaokong before him.
After all, only an enemy’s sworn enemy is worth trusting, thought Ning Hejing.
Leaving aside the long-standing grudges between the Li Family and Buddhist cultivators, Li Xuanfeng alone had slain eighteen Buddhist cultivators by the river, which was more than enough to cement a grudge. Ning Hejing had seen with his own eyes that Liaokong truly intended to harm the Li Family and had played a major role in this matter.
Daoist Master Suiguan still bears the Chi surname, Buzi is away, and Yuan Xiu seems genuinely uninterested in the Azure Pond Sect’s leadership. But the Si Family is not one to be bullied. Once Li Xizhi dies, Si Yuanli will surely retaliate, pondered Ning Hejing.
Liaokong wanted to eliminate his Buddhist enemies, while Ning Hejing wanted Chi Fubo and the Si Family to turn on each other. Their goals aligned perfectly. Liaokong’s proposal to use Chi Zhihu, an old brute by nature who roamed about looking for ways to harm Li Xizhi, was exactly to Ning Hejing’s liking.
Ning Hejing had calculated the matter from all angles, leaving no doubt, and said quietly, "That snake demon is nothing remarkable. The fact that it has survived the Abyss for this long is already a miracle. Even if luck is on his side, with one man and one demonic creature against Chi Zhihu’s three, plus the Master Monk, and with the grand formation covering the area, how could he possibly escape?
"When Chi Zhihu kills Li Xizhi, you will immediately reincarnate back to the north, and we will be in the clear."
Fei Luoya listened for a while, then frowned. "But, my lord, the Abyss is interconnected and has many exits in the surrounding area. If Li Xizhi returns to Green Pine Island from the Abyss to recuperate instead of heading to the Reef Sea, won’t the plan come to nothing?"
Ning Hejing laughed and shook his head in reply, "That is where you do not understand."
The plump monk at the side gave him a meaningful glance and shook his head before replying, "Benefactor... this is something I calculated a few days ago. I would have needed something he had used personally, but unfortunately, Changtian Peak cannot be entered...
"Fortunately, Li Xizhi once lived on Qingsui Peak. Using an item belonging to him obtained from Peak Master Yuan of Qingsui Peak, I was able to calculate that Li Xizhi has already arrived at the Reef Sea. In fact, the fellow has been there for some time now, secretly tending to his injuries! I am just about ready to take my leave of you two and head there myself!"
Ning Hejing then smiled at Fei Luoya and said, "I only just learned of this myself, which is why I had not told you before!"
Fei Luoya suddenly saw the truth of it, repeatedly praising their cleverness, making the two burst into hearty laughter. Yet inwardly, the Mount Yue man felt a chill, He doesn’t actually trust me...
Fei Luoya did not believe for a moment that he had 'just found out.' It turned out he had been sent to toil over the various veins of the Abyss, using dharma artifacts to search everywhere, solely to mislead others, himself included.
The Mount Yue man stood quietly, his mind churning with thoughts, though his expression remained calm.
1. This should be referring to the Crimson Reef Sea. ☜